With a baby on the way I have no idea what to expect when it comes to expenses. Diapers are ridiculous, day care is going to be our "third mortgage," and I have no clue what else to anticipate!
My whole life I have been a bargain shopper (thanks Mom), but I know I could still do better. I hardly ever buy clothes, we only go out to dinner if we have a gift card (thanks credit card points) or if it is a special occasion, and I only buy food if it is on sale.
In the past I have tried the whole couponing thing, but I really don't seem to have the energy for it now. I want to get in a grove and really start comparing prices and doubling up on coupons whenever I can.
I also recently discovered the beauty of second hand shopping. I don't know why I hadn't explored this option in the past, but from now on I plan to buy most of my clothes (and the baby's clothes) at consignment stores. I am not a trendy person to begin with, and most of my clothes are worn for multiple seasons, so there is no reason I should spend money on new clothes, when there is nothing wrong with ones that have already been worn (and in many cases, never been worn at all).
Another thing I'd like to do to earn more money is to go through the stuff we currently have and try to sell it online or at consignment shops. We do have nice stuff and instead of just chucking it or packing it away when we no longer have a use for it, it is much smart to sell it to someone else who could use it.
A part of me is still a little freaked out when it comes to money. I feel like we are already so good at sticking to our budget that there will be little room for improvement once the baby is here and costing us much more than we thought. Although, as I have learned in the past, we will always find a way to make it work!
Do you have any savvy tips that a new mom can use to save as much money as possible?
Amanda,
ReplyDeleteAs promised, here is the info on the Baby Bargains book: http://amzn.to/wwelOR
This book has been GREAT in terms of what companies have fewer recalls, which items you can/should get used and which you should invest in buying new. Your due should also be far enough behind me that I may have some things I'm no longer using by the time your Bump comes along!
Feel free to ask any questions: I'm ready and willing. My friends who recently had babies have been my best resource during this crazy and exciting time. I saw you got a massage - I've had 2 and they have been great. Two other suggestions: 1) prenatal yoga has been awesome for me and in prepping for childbirth (some positions they teach in my class are not really yoga positions, they are positions that will help during labor) 2)finding a a good childbirth class/teacher is key.
Oops... I meant to say, "your due date" not "your due." Pregnancy also leads to distractedness, particularly at 36 weeks!
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